The definitive source for information on collecting screen-used Star Trek props and costumes

Star Trek Props.com The Internet's premier source for information on collecting Star Trek props and costumes, as well as coverage of all major Star Trek auctions from the famous 2006 Christie's Star Trek auction, through the It's A Wrap Star Trek auctions on eBay and the Propworx Star Trek auctions. Star Trek Props is the best source for information of collecting original, screen-used props & costumes.

Monday, April 9, 2007

A Question.........

"Since before your sun burned hot in space, and before your race was born, I have awaited a question."

The Guardian of the Star Trek Auction, Prop and Costume Blog recently received this question from Jon Sligh.

"I have been reading your blog and enjoying it greatly. I see that you said that you lost out on the auction for Nog's uniform " but I didn't bid higher because I know there are more of these".Does that mean there are going to be more of the eBay auctions from ItsAWrap?Do you know how many more auctions are they going to have?Do you know what they are going to be selling?I am interesting in bidding on more items but I don’t want to waste my money upfront for fear there aren’t going to be any more items they put up.I have a limited amount and if I go over my wife is going to kill me. :-) So basically I am looking for any information you might have.

Thanks so much.

Jon"Well, Jon, I don't have any inside information on what IAW has or what will be coming. IAW is very secretive and doesn't release information about what they have or what they are going to have. When I make comments about being patient and that there are many of an item, it is based on a few things.

First, each season there were a number of uniforms made for each actor. Refer back to what Robert Blackman, the Star Trek costume Designer since TNG, said in the Robert Blackman interview:

"During the season we make 4-6 uniforms for each actor."

So that is the first piece of information that I use. After that, there is the History Channel Special that was recently on in which we see a ton of views of the warehouse where all the Star Trek costumes and props were stored and it is abundantly clear that there is a massive amount of costumes and props available. Some of those scenes are mind-boggling.

All my friends who are collectors, many of whom have been collecting a lot longer than I have and have much more experience, agree that there is a huge supply, and we have only seen a part of it all. I think it is entirely reasonable that these auctions will last over a year. It has been over 4 months already!

So it is really collecting all the available facts and making reasonable conclusions about what exists. As far as the Nog costume, he was an important character and so the Blackman axiom goes. There should be 8-12 of these. If you say, "Well, he was a secondary character", then maybe there were only 4-6. Either way, that is a lot of costumes. So, I decided to be patient.

One thing I do believe is that it takes 3-6 weeks for IAW to ship items. The variation in the amount of time it takes is amazing and all way too long. Gets back to them not having a technology system that works.